Finance team and outside advisers
Set the close and reporting calendar, direct the bookkeeper or controller, and coordinate the accountant, bank, payroll provider, broker, lawyer, and other advisers.
Fractional CFO for owner-managed businesses, $1M to $25M revenue
Your numbers should help you run the business.
I work with owners who already have a bookkeeper and an accountant, but no one responsible for cash planning, forecasting, and the financial side of the big decisions.
Your bookkeeper and accountant do important work. There still needs to be one person responsible for the full financial picture.
That means setting expectations, reviewing what comes back, resolving issues between advisers, and using the finished numbers to manage the business. It also means making sure financial work has an owner and a deadline.
Bookkeeper
Keeps the records current, closes the month, handles transactions, and makes sure the books are complete.
Accountant
Handles tax, year-end reporting, compliance, and technical accounting advice.
Fractional CFO
Takes responsibility for the overall finance function. Manages the bookkeeper and outside advisers, owns the forecast and cash view, reviews reporting, and brings the financial work together for the owner.
The financial work I take responsibility for
The mix changes by company. I take ownership of the work, review what others produce, and make sure decisions and follow-up do not stall.
Cash planning and financing
Maintain the forward cash view and plan borrowing, distributions, equipment purchases, debt capacity, and lender conversations.
Forecasting and budgeting
Keep a live forecast, compare actual results with the plan, and update it when the business changes.
Margins and pricing
Show where profit is earned by customer, job, project, service line, or location, and where time or money is being lost.
Management reporting
Give the owner a short monthly view of what changed, what matters, and what needs a decision.
Large decisions and transactions
Work through hiring, expansion, acquisitions, or a possible sale before money or commitments are on the line.
A few examples of the work in practice
The answer is rarely one ratio or one spreadsheet. The useful work connects the decision to cash, capacity, risk, and what has to happen next.
“Can we afford two more people?”
Build the fully loaded cost into the cash forecast, include the ramp period, and show the revenue or capacity needed to support the hire.
“Why is cash tight when we made money?”
Trace the movement through receivables, inventory, project timing, debt, tax, distributions, and capital spending.
“Which work should we stop taking?”
Separate price, direct cost, labour use, overhead, and payment terms so the decision is based on contribution, not revenue alone.
“Will the bank support this?”
Prepare the forecast, covenant view, downside case, and explanation the lender will need before the meeting.
If one of these questions is already on your desk, that is enough for a first conversation.
Contact KevinStart with the business, not a standard finance package
I first learn how the business makes money, what decisions are ahead, what information you currently receive, and who is responsible for each part of the finance work.
First
Understand what is happening
Review the financial statements, cash cycle, reporting process, and the major decisions expected over the next 6 to 12 months.
Then
Fix the view before adding more reporting
Build only the forecast, analysis, and reporting that the owner and management team will actually use.
Ongoing
Use the numbers and follow through
Meet on a regular cadence, make decisions, assign actions, and update the outlook when the facts change.
Usually a good fit
Revenue is typically between $1M and $25M, but the complexity of the decisions matters more than the revenue number by itself.
- The business is established and supports a real team.
- The bookkeeping is being done, but reporting is mostly historical.
- Cash, margins, hiring, debt, or growth decisions are becoming harder to make by feel.
- The owner wants another experienced person in the room who will challenge assumptions.
- Management is prepared to change the reporting or operating habits that are getting in the way.
Not usually a fit: businesses looking only for payroll, bookkeeping, a tax return, or a one-time valuation.
I’m Kevin Cosgrove.
I started at PwC, then moved into operating finance. I was controller for the largest entity in a family-office group spanning heavy civil construction, asphalt production, and real estate, with more than $50 million in revenue.
Today I lead forecasting, reporting, and financial planning for a portfolio of growth-stage companies. I have also led a sell-side M&A process through a strategic acquisition.
I keep the work rigorous, but I do not try to turn every conversation into a finance presentation. The job is to understand the business, explain what the numbers mean, and help the owner make the call.
ExperiencePwC trained, former controller in a $50M+ construction and real estate group, current portfolio CFO, and lead on a sell-side process through a strategic acquisition.
Where I workRemote across Canada and the United States.
Who you work withYou work directly with me, not through a junior delivery team.
IndustriesConstruction, services, multi-location businesses, and software.
Tax and complianceI work with your Canadian or U.S. accountant. I do not provide tax filing services.
Common questions
Do you replace my bookkeeper or accountant?
No. I work with them. Your bookkeeper owns the records and close. Your accountant owns tax and year-end compliance. I own the forward-looking planning, management view, and decision support that often sits between those roles.
Is a $1M business large enough for this?
Sometimes. Revenue is only one screen. A simple $1M business may not need a CFO. A company making a significant hiring, borrowing, pricing, or expansion decision may benefit from focused help even at that size.
Can you work with a U.S. business?
Yes, for financial planning, forecasting, management reporting, lender support, and decision analysis. Your U.S. accountant or tax adviser remains responsible for tax filings and local compliance.
What if the books are messy?
That changes the order of the work. I will identify what needs to be fixed before the reporting can be trusted and coordinate with the person who owns the bookkeeping. I will not build a polished forecast on an unreliable starting point.
What does it cost?
Canadian monthly engagements generally start around CAD $2,500 plus applicable tax and scale with complexity. U.S. work is quoted in USD. The final fee depends on the finance team, meeting cadence, reporting needs, and decisions ahead.
If there is a decision in front of you and the numbers are not helping, send me a note.
Contact Kevin
Remote across Canada and the United States.